Electrical connector



Jan. 30, 1968 M. MILLER 3,366,915

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Nov. 8, 1962 a Sheets$heet 1 INIVENTFDRMorvln Mlller v BY /ZM.L a4 AT ORNEYS- Jan. 30, 1968 M. MILLER Q3,366,915

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Nov. 8. 1962 s Sheets-$het 2 l NvENTOR 1 BYMarvin Miller Aaflmwf Mu ATTORNEYS 7 Jan. 30, 1968 M. MILLER ELECTRICALCONNECTOR 3 Sheets$heet Ii Filed Nov. 8, 1962 m d ml hm m 3 I" H 3 2 u rI A l It H O I I 3 n I": M? H M? r O m w: 35 W U 3 1 2 m W 3 2 V f v 9 28 m lNVENTOF? Marvin Miller P /QQ "A M44 ATTZRN EYS United States Patent3,366,915 ELETRICAL CONNECTOR Marvin Miller, Fair Lawn, N..I., assignorto Sibany Corporation, Fair Lawn, N..I., a corporation of New JerseyFiled Nov. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 236,331 9 Claims. (Cl. 33949) Thisinvention relates generally to electrical connectors and moreparticularly to an improved connector including means for entirelysupporting the resilient contact elements thereof, and to a geometricalarrangement of groups of contact supports for making respective halvesof connectors in a symmetrically novel manner.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, an electrical connectorconsists of mating halves neither of which is male or female per se buteach contains mating male and female parts. The respective halves eachcomprise a plurality of raised pyramidal contact strip supports, withthe contact strips being arranged centrally and longitudinally of thefaces or sides of the several supports. The supports themselves arearranged in a generally checkerboard fashion so as to provide cavitiesof a shape corresponding to the pyramidal support members of a matinghalf of the electrical connector. Thus, as may be seen more particularlywith reference to the accompanying description and drawings, the matinghalves of the connector may be brought together so as to bring theraised pyramidal contact supports of one half into immediately adjacentjuXta-position with respect to the pyramidal contact supports of theother half.

A particular and advantageous feature of the above arrangement is therelatively large number of contact strips for a given area which may beaccommodated. Furthermore, each of the contact strips is given completesupport along a pyramidal face, which prevents the possibility of damageto the strips by connecting and disconnecting the connector halves.

The invention further relates to various forms and arrangements of thecontact support members and the interrelationship of the contact stripswith respect thereto. In this connection there follows a detaileddescription of particular embodiments wherein the invention may reside,illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing certain mating portionsof the electrical connector, i.e. re spective truncated pyramidalcontact support members of mating halves of the connector;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a portion of one-half of an electricalconnector constructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross section of the connector of FIG. 2 taken in thedirection of arrows 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a view smiliar to FIG. 3 additionally showing a portion of amating half of the connector;

FIGS. 5-7 are respectively various illustrated forms of contact stripswhich lend themselves to installation in the new electrical connector;

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a grid or checkerboard arrangement for thepyramidal contact supports thereof in which the mating halves of theconnector are of identical construction;

FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a connector half in which thecontact supports of the adjacent cavities for the reception of thecontact supports of the mating connector half, are formed as three-sidedpyramids;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating a form ofinstallation of the contact strips; and

FIG. 12 shows a modified four-sided contact support member.

Referring now to the drawing and initially to FIGS. 1-4 thereof, oneembodiment of the electrical connector according to the presentinvention has been illustrated.

"Ice

The connector comprises mating halves 11 and 12 each of which includes aplurality of four-sided contact supports, respectively identified asreference numerals 13, 13'. As illustrated, the contact supports 13, 13'are essentially identical.

In the illustrated embodiment, the supports 13 comprise four-sidedtruncated pyramids which may be molded of plastic integrally with a base14. The supports 13, 13' have been arranged in a geometricalcheckerboard fashion wherein adjacent corners of groups of four supports13 are joined to define a recess 13a therebetween. It will be furtherobserved with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, that the recesses 13acorrespond in shape to pyramidal contact supports 13 of the mating half12 of the connector. Thus, as illustrated in fragmentary cross sectionin FIG. 4, a support 13 may be received within each of the cavities 13awith the top of the truncated portion of each of the supports 13, 13'resting immediately adjacent to a facing surface of the bases 14, 14'.

The pyramidal contact supports 13, 13 each secures at least one contactstrip 16 within a recess provided along one of the sides thereof. Eachof the contact strips includes a contact button 16a and a terminal endportion 16b which extends through the base 14 for connection withelectrical wiring. The base 14 and a support 13 have been provided witha continuous groove 17 for the insertion of a contact strip from theterminal side of the base 14 and along a face of a pyramidal support.The contact strip 16 includes a spring locking tab 16c which is somewhatwider than the diameter of the button 16a. The groove 17 is, therefore,made sufllciently Wide in the area indicated by reference numeral 17a toaccommodate the width of the button 16a during passage of the strip 16through the base 14, but not of sufiicient width to accommodate thewidth of the locking tab 16c. Therefore, when the contact strip 16 isinserted from the terminal side of the base 14, the spring tab 16c isforced generally into alignment with the remainder of the contact strip;however, such alignment will not be complete and, hence, additionalrelief has been provided at 17b for receiving the reverse flexingmovement of the tab 160. Once the contact strip has moved to theposition shown in FIG. 3, the tab 16c will spring outwardly to straddlethat relieved portion of the groove which has previously accommodatedthe passage of the button 16a and thus, the tab prevents the returnmovement of the contact strip. The groove 17 terminates in a closed endportion adjacent to the top surface of each of the pyramidal supportmembers 13 thereby preventing the contact strip from further movement inthat direction.

With reference to FIG. 4, the interrelationship of the respectivecontact buttons 16a and 1611' has been illustrated to show theirinterengagement which forms the electrical contact between therespective connector halves 11 and 12 and further, to show such contactas locking the connector halves together. Thus, the buttons 16a, 16a aredisposed with respect to the contact strips 16, 16' somewhat toward theupper surface of each pyramidal support member and since the strips 16,16' are resilient, the respective contact buttons thereof may be forcedto pass each other until they interengage in the position shown.

FIGS. 5-7 illustrate various forms of contact strips which lendthemselves to use with the several contact support configurations of theinvention. In FIG. 5, a contact strip 18 differs somewhat from the strip16 by having a rounded contact portion 18a instead of a contact button.In FIG. 6 a strip 19 contains three rounded contact sections 1%, 19b,19c and includes a bifurcated locking tab 19d. FIG. 7 illustrates acontact strip 24? having a terminal end 2% which, in common with theterminal end portions of the contact strips 18 and 19, has been modifiedfor connection with electrical wiring. It will be understood that theseveral contact strips may readily be removed from the base and contactsupports by forcing the locking tabs back into alignment with theassociated strip and withdrawing the strip from the groove in the baseand contact support.

A particularly advantageous feature of the present invention resides inthe fact that it is possible for the respective halves of an electricalconnector to be made with a series of contact supports arranged in acheckerboard fashion wherein the grid arrangement of one half isidentical with respect to the other half. This fact permits greateconomy of manufacture. One embodiment which illustrates an identicalconstruction of mating halves is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. There it willbe noted, mating halves 22, 22 have a grid arrangement of contactsupports 23, 23' wherein each half is identical with respect to theother. That is to say, in the arrangement shown, the pattern of raisedpyramids and adjacent cavities is identically repeated within eachconnector half and requires for the mating engagement a simple 180longitudinal reversal of the parts in order for the halves to fittogether. It will be self-evident that grid arrangements other than theone which has been illustrated are possible to achieve this result.

The connector illustrated in FIGS.- 8 and 9 further includes sidesections 26 which together with end pieces 27, 28 encloses the contactsupports and their respective connectors thereof when the halves havebeen joined. For securing the halves 27, 28 in their electricallyconducting position, I provide attaching bolts 29 which, when threadedinto the receiving bores in each connector half, couple the halves in ahigh-strength union. It will be further noted that the contact strips 30have been located along the interior faces of the various supports 23 oralong only those faces which oppose a mating (and thus contact bearing)portion of the connector when the halves are joined.

FIG. illustrates schematically an alternative embodiment within thepurview of the present invention. In FIG. 10 a connector half 31includes a plurality of raised three-sided pyramids 32 which may or maynot be truncated depending upon the particular design. Immediatelyadjacent to and as defined by the interior pyramidal supports 32 arecavities 32a for receiving a plurality of similar three-sided pyramidalcontact supports in an opposing connector half (not shown), in the samemanner as has been. illustrated in connection with the previousembodiments.

FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment wherein each of the contact strips 33has its terminal end portion 33a entirely recessed within a base 34 uponwhich are mounted the several contact supports 35. The terminal ends 33amay thus be connected to respective insulated wires 36 beforeinstallation of the contact strips. Insertion of the contact strips 33thereby eliminates exposure of the terminal end portions 33a.

FIG. 12 is illustrative of yet another contact support constructionwherein the support 37 is of box-like or oblong form. In thisembodiment, the entirely perpendicular or upright sides of the matinghalves of the connector would nest as in the previous embodiments,however, requiring a more precise initial positioning of the matinghalves to insure the entrance of each contact support into the cavityprovided in the opposing half. In the previous embodiments, the taperedform tends to center the supports without precise initial positioning ofthe parts. FIG. 12 is further illustrative of a contact strip 38 havinga locking tab both above and below the base 40. The lower tab 38aprevents the movement of the contact strip 38 beyond the positionillustrated when the contact strip is inserted through the base 40. Inthis embodiment, therefore, the groove which admits the contact stripand which extends from the base 40 along the face of one side of acontact support 37, may be left open at its upper end since the lockingtab 38a will prevent further movement of the contact strip in the upwarddirection.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the presentinvention will lend itself to forms other than those which have beenspecifically illustrated and described. For example, it may undercertain circumstances, be of advantage to construct a connector half tocontain a plurality of pyramidal or oblong-shaped cavities which arespaced irregularly with respect to each other. Further, the cavities maybe of different sizes to receive corresponding, but separate malecontact supports having contact strips arranged along the outer facesthereof for electrically connecting with contact strips along the wallsurfaces of the various cavities. This arrangement would have .certainadvantages over known constructions, for example,

conventional combinations comprising a chassis for receiving theplugends of a plurality of vacuum tubes. In accordance with the presentinvention, each of the contact strips of a plug-in type component wouldbe supported entirely along its length by adjacent structure comprisingthe respective faces of a pyramidal or oblongshaped contact supportmember.

Since the foregoing description is then merely representative, in orderfully to appreciate the spirit and scope of the invention, referenceshould be made to the appended claims in which:

I claim:

1. An electrical connector comprising mating halves each including aplurality of raised contact supports, each of said supports having atleast three sides, means interconnecting edge portions of adjacentsupports to define therebetween a plurality of surrounding cavities forreceiving correspondingly shaped supports in a mating half of saidconnector, means for holding a plurality of contact strips in identicalrecessed relation and longitudinally of respective facing sides of saidsupports in said mating halves when said halves are joined, said holdingmeans permitting said contact strips to interengage when said halves arejoined thereby to effect an electrical connection and said plurality ofsupports in each connector half being arranged in an identical gridpattern.

2. An electrical connector comprising a first connector element, a base,a plurality of contact support members joined to said base, said supportmembers having at least three generally upright sides extendingtherefrom and arranged severally to define between adjacent ones of saidsupport members a plurality of cavities, each of said cavities beingshaped to receive one of a plurality of support members of a secondconnector element, said base and each support member defining a groovecontinuing through said base along a side of said support member, acontact strip having a laterally projecting con tact portion and aterminal portion, a resilient integral locking tab cut out of andextending from said strip in the same direction as said contact portion,said tab being wider than said contact portion, said groove beingrelieved to provide passage of said contact portion and to preventlateral flexing movement of said tab in said direction, said groovebeing further relieved behind said strip to permit general alignment ofsaid tab and strip and reverse lateral flexing movement of said tabwhereby said contact strip may be inserted in said groove from the sideof said base opposite to said support member for mounting the contactstrip in said base and member, said groove extending within a side ofsaid member for a distance sufiicient to permit said tab to springlaterally into abutting relation above the uppersurface of the base.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 2 in which the contactstrip includes an additional tab for abutting the lower surface of saidbase.

4. An electrical connector comprising mating halves each including abase, a plurality of raised contact supports, mounted on said base, eachof said supports having at least three sides tapering away from saidbase, means interconnecting edge portions of adjacent supports.

to define therebetween a plurality of cavities for receivingcorrespondingly shaped supports in a mating half of said connector withthe supports in each connector half being arranged in an identical gridpattern and with the tapered sides of said supports of one half of theconnector positioned immediately adjacent to the tapered facing sides ofthe mating half of said connector, means for holding a plurality ofcontact strips in identical recessed relation and longitudinally ofrespective facing sides of said supports in said mating halves when saidhalves are joined, said holding means permitting said contact strips tointerengage when said halves are joined thereby to effect an electricalconnection.

5. The electrical connector according to claim 4 in which said contactstrips include contact portions and terminal portions, said base andsaid pyramid faces being grooved for the reception of a contact strip,each of said contact strips including a resilient locking tab adapted toextend from said contact strip to abut the upper surface of said baseafter complete insertion of said contact strips into the groove in saidbase and pyramid.

6. The electrical connector according to claim 5 in which the terminalend portions of said contact strips are entirely enclosed by said baseafter insertion of the contact strips into a connector half.

7. An electrical connector comprising a first male contact supportingmember having at least three sides, each of said sides having along aface thereof a first recessed contact strip, said contact strips havingcontact portions exposed outwardly with respect to the supporting facesof the support member and having terminal end portions for connection toan electrical circuit, a mating female connector section defining acavity corresponding in shape to the first male Support member for thereception thereof, said cavity having a cross sectional area larger thanthat of said first male contact supporting member to define a spacetherebetwcen, the wall surfaces of said cavity being defined by one sideeach of a plurality of second male contact supporting members identicalto said first male supporting member with each of the sides of saidsecond male contact supporting members having a second recessed contactstrip with a contact portion in exposed relation oriented in said secondcontact supporting members identically to the orientation of said firstcontact strip with said first male contact supporting member, each ofsaid first and second exposed contact portions engaging each other inlocking relationships to afford electrical contact therebetween whensaid first male member is inserted into said cavity.

" 8. An electrical connector comprising first and second connectorelements each of which includes a base, a plurality of contact supportmembers joined to said base with each of said support members having atleast three generally upright sides extending therefrom and arrangedseverally to define between adjacent ones of said support members aplurality of cavities, each of said cavities being shaped to receive oneof a plurality of support members of said second connector element, saidbase and each support member of each connector element defining a groovecontinuing through said base and along a side of said support member toa point spaced from the free end thereof to define a closed end portionfor said groove, a flexible contact strip having a laterally projectingcontact portion and a terminal portion, an integral locking tab cut outof and extending laterally from said strip at a predetermined distancefrom the end of the strip opposite said terminal portion, and a relievedportion in each of said grooves extending in a direction laterallythereof and through said base to provide passage of said laterallyprojecting contact portion through said base, the surface of the baseadjacent the contact support member being spaced from the end portion ofeach groove a distance which is sufficiently greater than saidpredetermined distance whereby one of said contact strips may bepositioned in each of said grooves from the side of said base oppositeto said support members with said end of the strip positioned within theclosed end of said groove, said tab positioned in locking engagementwith said surface of the base adjacent the contact support and saidcontact portion extending laterally outwardly of said groove.

9. A coupling connector comprising two mating members each provided witha multiplicity of spaced apart projecting plugs positioned in acheckerboard array adapted to mate with the array on the mating member,each of said plugs being provided with a plurality of electrical contactmembers positioned about the periphery thereof, each contact memberbeing positioned at an angle with respect to an adjacent contact on thesame plug, at least two such contacts on a plug of one mating memberbeing positioned to electrically contact the contacts on two individualplugs of the other mating member When the mating members are assembledin mating position with the plugs of one of said mating membersinterposed between successive plugs of the other member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,838,739 6/1958 Winkler 339-211X 2,882,512 4/1959 Moronc 339-193 2,899,669 8/1959 Iohanson 339-453,026,496 3/1962 Gluck 339-193 3,070,769 12/1962 Murphy 339-49 3,085,2204/1963 Sitz 339-217 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,078,627 5/1954 France.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. JOSEPH D. SEERS, Examiner.

W. D. MILLER, P. A. CLIFFORD, Assistant Examiners.

1. AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR COMPRISING MATING HALVES EACH INCLUDING APLURALITY OF RAISED CONTACT SUPPORTS, EACH OF SAID SUPPORTS HAVING ATLEAST THREE SIDES, MEANS INTERCONNECTING EDGE PORTIONS OF ADJACENTSUPPORTS TO DEFINE THEREBETWEEN A PLURALITY OF SURROUNDING CAVITIES FORRECEIVING CORRESPONDINGLY SHAPED SUPPORTS IN A MATING HALF OF SAIDCONNECTOR, MEANS OF HOLDING IN A PLURALITY OF CONTACT STRIPS ININDENTICAL RECESSED RELATION AND LONGITUDINAL OF RESPECTIVE FACING SIDESOF SAID SUPPORTS IN SAID MATING HALVES WHEN SAID HALVES ARE JOINED, ANDHOLDING MEANS PERMITTING SAID CONTACT STRIPS TO INTERENGAGE WHEN SAIDHALVES ARE JOINED THEREBY TO EFFECT AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AND SAIDPLURALITY OF SUPPORTS IN EACH CONNECTOR HALF BEING ARRANGED IN ANIDENTICAL GRID PATTERN.